I get to make a bunch of wood boxes for my moms business, size range is anywhere from 10” D x 12” x 24” to maybe double that. I want these to be strong but cost effective, not sure what material I’m going to use yet, I have some requests for some cedar and maple. I was thinning using metered joints and gluing them together, but creating metered joints can be a hassle, but I don’t want just butt end joints. What are some suggestions, I might have to make a couple hundred over the course of a few months.

It’s gonna depend on what your Mom can spend and how much (if anything) you need to get after the materials are bought.

Last month, I made 40 minature carpenter tool boxes for centerpieces at some charity dinner. Their budget was really small, and I don’t work for free, so these were made from 3/8” sheathing. I set up a production system and cut all the pieces in a day. One of the charity people came over and sanded everything (80 grit on a ROS) while I assembled them with sImple butt joints and 1” staples. After assembly, we used a pad sander to knock down the rough edges.

They came out looking pretty good considering the material used and the fast and dirty assembly.

Wow , look at all that wood, how fun was that?, the boxes I’m going to be mAking are going to be sold so I need the joint s to hold. Up over time. Box joints I think would take to much time. Probably going to use wood and nit plywood

What is going in these boxes ?What are they going to be finished with ?Are they to be crates or boxes ?The smaller ones can be thin lumber to stay lightweight, the ones you say are bigger 2times 10×12x24 is 20×24x48. That is a major size, they would need thicker lumber and become quite heavy. Balsa is very light and fairly strong.

Oh, pegs. You can rabbet the corners too but making a jigto drill for whack-in wood pegs is simple enough. Dowelyou buy isn’t consistently round, but you can make it roundby making a dowel plate. Use brad point drills. You can grindyour own.

I just made a couple of 4” x 12” x 4” boxes for hand planes. They involved 1/2” butted hardwood sides (just oiled finish poplar) and slightly recessed prefinished plywood tops/bottoms which were all reinforced/aligned with biscuits. Assembly involved clamping together the closed box, then cutting the lid off before adding non-mortised hinges.

Appearance-wise, it was to me a reasonable outcome which could be improved with better sides and strength-wise, it might work for your small end.

I make a LOT (Hundreds) of cedar boxes 11” x 8” x 2 1/2” deep. I just miter the corners and glue. The bottom and top are glued on so the miter joint is pretty strong. I then cut the tops off and hinge them back on. Quick and easy. I also make trunks 24” x 16” x 16” deep (About 50). Miter joints at corners and dadoed in bottoms and tops. (Not glued in place) I reinforce the miter joint on these with a triangular fillet glued to the inside of the corners. I have dropped this completed trunk off of a 2 foot tall table to concrete and it held together just fine.

Whichever method you go for, once set up for production, things move pretty quickly.I would probably try box joints, or the rabbeted joints with dowels in place. You could use contrasting dowels as a nice touch.

These boxes I am to make wont have a top just a bottom and 4 sides, I’d like to miter the corners but so far I have. Not had very good luck with mitered joints, I couldn’t believe how difficult it was to create extact 45degree cuts.

Thanks for more info.Not sure what you have for tools. This would only need a table saw to do.A simple rabbet joint (glued) would look much nicer and be stronger than a POORLY done miter .Always make the rabbet on the longer sides.Either try to find 3/8” thick boards or if you have band saw, buy 3/4 board and cut it in half. The thickness will be slightly smaller than 3/8” The shorter sidess can be a little thicker lumber (1/2”) and the longer sides only 1/4” -3/8”. This might help keeping the total weight lighter.I have made a quick sketch.